Phalaenopsis orchid plant named ‘Romance’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘Romance’ particularly characterized by flowers which are purple, with a slightly darker labellum and a white tip of the column; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Phalaenopsis hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Romance’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Romance’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock-dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interiorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three-lobed and is often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Romance’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors, René Schoone, in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Phalaenopsis cultivar particularly characterized by its attractive and unique colored flowers, economical propagation via tissue culture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging and shipping to the market.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Romance’ originated from a cross made by the inventor in 1999 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The female or seed parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Pulcherrima’, unpatented. The male or pollen parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Purple’, unpatented. The new Phalaenopsis ‘Romance’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2006 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phalaenopsis cultivar by tissue culture (mericloning) was first performed in July, 2007 in Cieweg 13, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar asexually reproduces true to type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘Romance’, which in combination distinguish this Phalaenopsis as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. flowers which are purple, with a slightly darker labellum and         a white tip of the column;     -   2. plant produces more than one inflorescence;     -   3. plants may be propagated economically and uniformly using         tissue culture;     -   4. inflorescences are long and sturdy; and     -   5. relatively short, dark-green foliage.

In comparison with the parental cultivars of ‘Romance’, the female parent ‘Pulcherrima’ has purple/violet colored flowers with in the center and in the labellum some white. The male parent ‘Purple’ has red/purple colored flowers with a little white at the edges, a red/purple labellum and white at the end of the column, whereas the flowers of ‘Romance’ are purple with some white at the sepals and a white tip of the column.

Presently, the commercial cultivar to which ‘Romance’ can be meaningfully compared is ‘Mamamia’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/986,327). The flowers of ‘Mamamia’ are purple/violet with small white edges and some white at the sepals. The flowers of ‘Romance’ are purple with some white on the sepals. The flowers of ‘Mamamia’ are also a bit larger than the flowers of ‘Romance’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Phalaenopsis ‘Romance’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘Romance’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical flowering plant of ‘Romance’ in a 12 cm pot, at 16 months of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the typical flower of ‘Romance’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the typical leaves of ‘Romance’

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘Romance’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of ‘Romance’ as grown in a greenhouse in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Initially, the ideal temperature to grow plants of ‘Romance’ is 27° C. during the day and at night. Then, during the flowering phase of ‘Romance’, the ideal growing temperature is 20-22° C. during the day and 18° C. at night. Light levels for growing ‘Romance’ are a minimum of 5,000 lux and a maximum of 10,000 lux. A balanced fertilizer with level of 200 ppm N, 87 ppm P, 168 ppm K is applied. Duration of growth of ‘Romance’ from potting size is between 10 and 14 months.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions at approximately noon in Zaandammerweg, Assendelft, The Netherlands. The age of the ‘Romance’ plants described is 12 months after potting.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrida. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Pulcherrima’, unpatented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Purple’, unpatented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Tissue culture (mericloning).         -   Rooting habit and description.—Fleshy; approximately 3 mm-5             mm wide and green/yellow in color (RHS 147B); freely             branching. It takes 12 weeks for plants growing in tissue             culture to initiate roots. -   Plant:     -   -   Size at maturity.—Height (from bottom of pot to top of             highest flower): about 45 to 47 cm. Spread: about 40 to 53             cm.         -   Growth habit.—Small; green leaves (RHS N137B) and relatively             normal raceme.         -   Vigor.—Moderate.         -   Crop time.—Following asexual propagation, at about 26 weeks             2 leaves appear; at about 30 weeks 3-4 leaves appear; after             a cold treatment of about 4-8 weeks at a temperature of             about 19° C. about 1 to 4 racemes with flowers appear. -   Foliage:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 6 to 9 leaves are produced before             flowering.         -   Arrangement and attachment.—Half up/horizontal and on two             sides.         -   Overall shape of leaf.—Oval, tip is blunt and asymmetric.         -   Texture (both surfaces).—Smooth and leathery.         -   Pubescence.—None.         -   Base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Mature leaf length.—About 9 to 15 cm.         -   Mature leaf width.—About 5 to 7 cm.         -   Mature leaf thickness.—About 2 mm.         -   Mature leaf color (upper surface).—Green (RHS N137B).         -   Mature leaf color (under surface).—Green (RHS N138A), purple             (RHS N79B).         -   Venation.—Pattern: parallel. Color of mid vein: upper             surface: green (RHS 136A). under surface: yellow/green (RHS             146A). -   Raceme:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 1 to 4.         -   Number of flowers per raceme.—About 10 to 25.         -   Length.—About 24 to 46 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 to 4 mm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Upright.         -   Texture.—Glabrous and smooth.         -   Color.—Dark green N187A.         -   Pedicel.—Length: ranges from about 20 to 26 mm. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Upright to slightly pendant, racemose             inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open             in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.         -   Buds.—Height (from base to tip): about 7 to 15 mm. Diameter             (at midpoint): about 6 to 15 mm. Shape: egg-shaped. Color:             red/purple (RHS 70A). Orientation: same as flowers (forward             facing).         -   Flowering time.—For an untreated plant (flowering plant that             has not undergone cold-treatment where the plant grows at a             temperature of 18° C. to 19° C. for about 4 to 8 weeks after             a period of about 30 weeks at a temperature of 25° C.), 1-4             racemes appear with flower buds and flowers. First flowers             can be expected approximately 4 to 6 months after planting a             plant with a leaf diameter of 3 to 5 cm. Flowers persistent.         -   Flowering longevity.—On the plant: about 4 to 6 months;             lastingness of cut flowers: has not been observed.         -   Fragrance.—No fragrance.         -   Flower.—Rate of opening: Flowers fully opened about 2 to 3             days after petal and sepal separation. Orientation at             opening: slanted upward and outward. Shape: Typical Shape of             Phalaenopsis Orchid; see FIG. 2. Size (of single bloom):             Height: about 30 mm. Diameter: about 40 mm. Quantity and             arrangement: three petals and three sepals that are             trimerous, overlapping and arranged in 2 whorls. Petals are             more pronounced than sepals.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Inner whorl comprises 3 petals: 2             lateral petals and labellum. 2 lateral petals: Overall             shape: broadly ovate and weakly cupped. Apex: oval. Margin:             entire and weakly undulate. Base: broadly ovate. Length:             about 17 mm. Width: about 15 mm. Texture: Upper surface:             smooth and satiny. Under surface: smooth and satiny. Color             (when fully opened): upper surface: purple (RHS N80A). under             surface: purple (RHS N80B).         -   Labellum.—Overall shape: 3-lobed with 2 prominent             callosities at central junction of the lateral lobes and             base of the midlobe. Lateral lobes of labellum fold upward             about the column; the midlobe extends forward and is             terminated by 2 stubs appendages at the apex. Lateral lobes             of the labellum are ovate in shape while the midlobe is             triangular with a bump and a rib on it. Margin: entire and             weakly undulate. Length: about 14 mm. Width (not flattened):             about 12 mm. Depth of tube (made from lateral lobes): about             7 mm. Texture: Upper & under surface: smooth and satiny.             Color (when fully opened): Color of the Mid lobe is purple             (RHS N81A). Lateral lobes are purple (RHS N81A). At the base             some white (RHS NN155C) and yellow (RHS 6A). Cirrhi: really             small points. Color: purple (RHS N81A). Pestle             (Callosities): Length: about 2 mm. Width (not flattened):             about 3 mm. Height: about 2 mm. Color: On top purple (RHS             N78A) and yellow (RHS 8A). In the center a white line (RHS             NN155C).         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Outer whorl comprises 3 sepals. Overall             shape: elliptical and weakly cupped. Length: about 13 to             18 mm. Width: about 15 mm. Texture: Upper & under surface:             smooth and satiny. Color (when fully opened): upper surface:             dorsal sepal is purple (RHS N80A). Lateral sepal is purple             (RHS N80A) with at the base white (RHS NN155C) and an white             edge on the bottom. Under surface: Dorsal sepal: purple (RHS             N81B). Lateral sepal: purple (RHS N81B) and at the base             violet (RHS 85D).         -   Pedicel.—Length: average about 23 mm. Diameter: about 2 mm.             Texture: glabrous and smooth. Color: Base is green (RHS             139C) and close to the flower is purple (RHS N81B). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a             single, short structure called the column, possessing one             terminal anther with pollen grains united into a pollinia,             which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located             under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior             with three carpels present. The plant has not produced seed.         -   Column.—Length: about 14 mm. Diameter: about 5 mm. Color:             purple (RHS N80A) with a white tip (RHS 155A).         -   Pollinia.—Quantity: Two. Size: about 0.5 mm. Color:             yellow/orange (RHS 17A).         -   Ovary.—Length: about 4 mm. Diameter: about 5 mm. Color:             violet (RHS 85C). -   Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of about 15° C.     and to a high temperature about 30° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named ‘Romance’, as illustrated and described herein. 